Real Madrid, Man Utd, Chelsea? The five clubs that want Tchouameni

Robin Bairner

Updated: 14 Apr 2022 18:21 BST
3 min read

Aurelien Tchouameni: Fabregas highlights the Chelsea target’s strengths — © ProShots

Aurelien Tchouameni is set to make football transfer news headlines in the summer with a likely move from Monaco.

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The midfielder, who has been somewhat unfairly likened to Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, has caught the eye for this club this season but also his country.

With his club ailing in Ligue 1, a transfer is on the cards. While he has been tight-lipped over the prospect, Goal reports that there are five clubs interested in his services. But who are they?

Who wants to sign Tchouameni?

According to new reports from Spanish newspaper AS, Real Madrid are ready to make a move for the Monaco star this summer after positive preliminary negotiations between the Spanish and French clubs.

Los Blancos are steadily accumulating younger players to act as medium-term replacements for their aging midfield and raided Ligue 1 last summer to sign Eduardo Camavinga from Rennes. Tchouameni, who is a more defensively minded player, is a logical target.

Manchester United, too, have been credited with an interest. In need of a central midfielder, Tchouameni has many of the attributes that would seem to make him a smart fit for the Old Trafford side.

Although built like Pogba, he is a far more industrious player who nevertheless has an excellent range of passing. Again, their interest is logical.

Similarly, Manchester City are likely to have had their eye caught by Tchouameni, who could replace Fernandinho. He is not quite the box-to-box presence that City icon Yaya Toure, another former Monaco star, was, but a combination of sound technical play and physicality is something that Pep Guardiola could easily warm to.

PSG are widely credited in France with having an interest. Having seen the player develop at close quarters and eager to retain a French core to their side, he ticks a lot of boxes for PSG, whose volume of midfielders is not matched by their quality. The issue with this deal, though, is that the league leaders will have to clear away deadwood to get it done.

The wildcards

If four of the clubs who want Tchouameni are pretty clear cut, the final one is not so obvious. Chelsea were thought to hold an interest before Roman Abramovich had his assets frozen and the club stripped from him but a change in ownership could jeopardise that.

Liverpool, too, could hold a candle for the player given that they will need to freshen their midfield up at some point. However, the French market is not normally one they work in.